The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-10-28
BATTLE WITH OUTLAWS.

A Desperate Battle In the Indian Territory
Eight Of the Posse and - Many Outlaws
Killed.
LITTLE Rock. Ark, Oct. GA special
70 the ArkaRsas Ga1efte from W ewoka, I. T..
via Muskogee, last evening, says: On
Thursday q desperate fight took place on
the north fork of the Arkansas river
between Bud Trainor's gang Of outlaws and
vigilance committee under the leadership
Of Robert Henderson, q half breed, which
followed them from Buckworth's store in
the Creek Nation on the occasion Of raid
there on Wednesday. 1t seems the out
laws. finding out the size Of the force which
was following them, decided to risk an en-
counter, and made haste to reach the river
banks, where they could find shelter be-
hind trees and in ravines, which line
the banks on either side. In this
they succeeded, so that when the vigilantes
came up they were entirely, for the time,
at the mercy Of two score of men who knew
not what mercy was. Henderson took his
men a short distance up the river where a
fording place could be found, then crossed
and took up positions on the other side
Of the stream from the outlaws,
and where his men were as well
protected as those OF Trainor's men. The
river ut this point is only about 100 yards
wide, and across this distance, from Thurs
day morning until Thursday night. bullets
were singing on their mission Of death.
When the vigilantes had SUGGESTED in OBJ
tanning this position, they found they had
lost three men, and had two seriously
wounded.
AS Trainor found his enemy in the rear
on the opposite side Of the river, he sent
half Of his men down the stream to come
up on the other side, fighting under cover of
the trees. In this coup d'etat they were
surprised by the avengers, who met them
half way and opened tire upon them, check
ing their course, and driving them panic
stricken and precipitately back. In en-
deavoring to rally his men Bill Chuel was
killed, and before the river could be re-
forded John Leech, Of the robber gang,
was shot off his horse, but not killed.
The fight from this on was continued
across the stream. the banks of which were
lined at distances of forty-five rods apart
with sharpshooters. No sooner was
head, arm, or any part of a body visible on
either side, than leaden bullet was seek
ing to find Judgment therein. As Thurs
day night was coming on, Henderson
called his men in for consultation when it
were killed outright and eight others
had received serious though not fatal
wounds. The force was in this way reduced
one-half and it was thought best to remove
the wounded here and go back home and
stir up reinforcements. The dead were
buried and the wounded, it was found after
dressing their wounds, were able TO return
home with the rest of the party. 1t is
thought as many of the outlaws were killed
as of the pursuing party, though this will
never be known. Henderson says he will
collect 100 men and follow the robbers to
hades, if necessary, but what he will wipe
them out.
The following is a list Of the killed:
James Saunders, Oaks, Cherokee Nation.
shot through the head; F. FOurmile, Gar.
mile, Garfield, Cherokee Nation, shot
through the body; Bedrock Chaplin, Lukfia,
ChOctaw Nation, shot in five places; Bushy
Sakaswa, Patrick, Cherokee Nation, shot
through the body; Chief Parr, Oaks,
Cherokee Nation, shot in the
head; Samuel II. Elletter, Eufaula, Creek
Nation, shot twice in the body; Walter
Ainsworth, a ranger, from near Muscogee;
Darling Price, a settler, from near Camp
creek, Cherokee Nation. Henry Ayers, a
well-to-do stockman from Cherokee Nation,
who was one of the party with Henderson,
says that Bud Trainor was killed during the
fight. He is Of the opinion that no less
than fifteen were killed outright upon both
sides, and thinks one-balf the outlaws who
were not killed were wounded. 1t is by no
means certain that another party will be
to hunt down the outlaws. as it |
is thought the severe lesson they have been
taught will tend to drive them from the
Territory, or at least to put q quietus on
their lawlessness.